Beech V35 accident near Decatur, Texas, September 8, 2012
On September 8, 2012 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Beech V35, registered N149G, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Decatur, Texas (Decatur Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inattention during the landing roll, which resulted in retraction of the landing gear instead of the flaps.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 8, 2012 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Decatur, Texas · Decatur Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech V35 · all V35s on the register
- Registration
- N149G · registry record · serial D-8100
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After landing at the destination airport, the pilot attempted to retract the flaps, but accidently raised the landing gear instead. As the airplane began to settle, the pilot attempted to extend the gear, but was unable to do so before the airplane collapsed onto the runway and slid along its belly. An examination of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that he had less than 1 hour in the accident airplane make and model. He further stated that he used a technique he had developed to land a different airplane, where the flap and landing gear levers were in opposite locations.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Miscellaneous/other during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Task monitoring/vigilance › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › (general) › Unintentional use/operation
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,999 hours in all; 1 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Cont Motor IO 520 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KLUD Decatur TX
- Destination: KLUD Decatur TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 4,200 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 13 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.18 inHg
- Observation at 3:35 pm from KLUD
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N149G the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN12CA618.